Sheringham: United lack a leader

United have lost three out of their last five Premier League games - including a painful 3-1 loss to Liverpool - as their challenge for the title has been somewhat derailed, with many critics pointing to a lack of quality in the centre of the pitch.

Sheringham won the Treble with United in 1999 under the captaincy of Roy Keane and now says that Sir Alex Ferguson's current crop are desperate for a similar style of player to take command of the dressing room.

"When you are a top team, you have to have a leader, a power house," he said. "It was always Roy Keane in my day.

"Wayne Rooney has been that talisman when he's on top form, but he's not been there for six months. When your main talisman isn't firing and leading you, I think the other players need someone else to respond to.

"Someone else needs to take up the mantle. Dimitar Berbatov has at times, but he's not really that sort of character. You need a leader for that great team."